Receptacle support bracket



Aug. 4, 1970 w. o. ARNOLD, .1R

RECEPTACLE SUPPORT BRACKET Filed May 3l. 1968 INVENTOR 2.44 'L ATTORNEYW/7//0m 0. Arno/ddr United States Patent O 3,522,924 RECEPTACLE SUPPORTBRACKET William O. Arnold, Jr., Parkersburg, W. Va., assignor to UnionInsulating Company, Inc., Parkersburg, IV. Va., a corporation of WestVirginia Filed May 31, 1968, Ser. No. 733,642 Int. Cl. F16b 15/00 U.S.Cl. 248-216 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Bracket means, methodand apparatus for securing an article such as an electrical wiring boxto a sheet metal support, characterized in that the bracket meansincludes at least one stamped point extending downwardly into engagementwith the support, said bracket containing an orientation openingadjacent the point. To effect penetration of the support by the pointsand crimping of the points relative to the support, cooperating jawmeans are provided on opposite sides of the bracket and the support, onejaw face member having a male projection extending into the orientationopening to properly align the jaws relative to the points.

In the patented prior` artas shown by the patents to Palmer Re. 25,593,Appleton No. 2,747,758, Clark No. 2,809,763 and Magee No. 3,011,747,various bracket means of the support penetrating type have been proposedfor securing an electrical wiring box to a wooden stud or other support.`In general, these brackets are hammered to effect penetration ofpointed extensions into the support, which hammering generally impartsundesirable jolts and impact vibrations to the box that are especiallydetrimental in the case of a box formed by molding from a syntheticplastic insulating material, or a box in which the electrical componentsare already mounted.

Furthermore, as shown by the patents to Babyak No. 2,802,383, Bowman No.1,433,775, Burrell No. 1,142,797 and Tuttle No. 1,176,793, variouspliers-type tools have been proposed in the prior art includingpivotally connected jaws having faces adapted to secure metal partstogether by crimping, clenching or bending.

The present invention was developed to provide an improved method andapparatus for readily connecting electrical wiring boxes (preferably,but not exclusively of the molded insulation type) to a sheet metalsupport, use

being made of an improved bracket containing a tool v orientationopening adjacent one or more prestamped points. In accordance with aprimary object of the present invention, the tool means includes a pairof pivotally connected jaws one of which has a jaw face including a maleprojection adapted for insertion within the orientation opening, therebyto align a companion female jaw member relative to the points on theopposite side of the support therefrom. Upon compression of the jawmembers toward each other, the support is initially penetrated by thepoints, whereupon the points are bent inwardly toward each other torigidly secure the bracket to the support.

In accordance with another object of the invention, the tool means foreffecting penetration of the support by the points and subsequentcrimping of the points includes a pair of pivotally connected jaws thatare operable by a pair of pivotally connected levers, the adjacent freeends of corresponding ones of the levers and jaws also being pivotallyconnected. Stop means are provided for preventing operation of the jawsto a position in which the pivot shafts and the corresponding links arelocked in an overcenter position.

vice

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent froma study of the following specification lwhen viewed in the light of theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view illustrating the manner in which the mountingbracket is fastened to a sheet metal channel-shaped stud;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are sectional views taken along lines 2-2 and 3 3,respectively, of FIG. l;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view, with certain parts broken away, ofthe fastening tool; and

FIGS. 5 and 6 are detailed sectional views illustrating the manner inwhich the stamped points are caused to penetrate and clinch the support.

Referring now to the drawing, the sheet metal bracket 2 is formed bystamping from a planar blank and is specifically designed to fasten amolded plastic electrical wiring box 4 to a sheet metal channel-shapedstud 6. Thus, one side edge of the bracket is embedded (as shown in FIG.2) or otherwise fastened to the box, whereby when the box is arrangedadjacent the stud, the central portion of the bracket extends over thestud. The blank is pre-stamped to dene two pairs of identical paralleldownwardly extending points 8, 10 and 12, 14 respectively, adjacent thelongitudinal central axis of the blank. Between each pair of points, theblank contains an orientation opening 16 which serves to properly orienta fastening or crimping tool 20 (FIG. 4) relative to the bracket. Moreparticularly, the orientation opening 16 is adapted to receive a maleorientation projection 22 that extends downwardly from the planar lowersurface 24 of of a male jaw face member 26. This male jaw face isadapted to cooperate with a concave female jaw face member 28 thediameter of which is at least as great as the spacing distance betweenthe pair of stamped points.

Referring now to FIG. 4, the male and female jaw members 26, 28 areadjustably connected in an opposed manner between the free ends of apair of jaws 30, 32, respectively, that are pivotally connectedintermediate their ends by a pivot shaft 34. The jaws are operable by apair of operating levers 36, 38 that are connected intermediate theirends by another pivot shaft 40. The free ends of levers 36 and 38 arepivotally connected with the free ends of jaws 30 and 32 by rst andsecond pivot means 44 and 46, respectively. The levers 36 and 38 andjaws 30 and 32 are biased apart to the open position by suitable springmeans 48. It is apparent that as levers 36 and 38 are compressed towardeach other, jaws 30 and 32 are similarly compressed, the pivot shaft 40being displaced to the right relative to the plane containing pivotshafts 44 and 46. In accordance with one feature of the invention, astop abutment portion 32a is provided on jaw 32 to prevent the pivotshaft 40 from being displaced to an overcenter locked position relativeto the plane 50.

OPERATION Assume that it is desired to secure to a sheet metal channelstud 6 a plastic or metal electrical wiring box 4 to which is attached astamped bracket 2. The box is positioned adjacent the stud with thestamp points 8, 10, 12, and 14 extending downwardly into engagement withthe upper surface of the stud as shown in FIG. 5. The tool is thenarranged with the jaws straddling the side wall of the stud and with themale projection 22 extending into the orientation opening 16. At thistime, the lower concave jaw member 28 is automatically positionedcoaxially beneath the pair of stamped points 12, 14 whereupon theoperating levers are compressed to cause points 12 and 14 to penetratethe stud wall portion interposed between the jaws. Upon furthercompression of the jaws, the points engage the concave surface of thefemale jaw face 28 and are crimped toward each other, as shown in FIG.6, to rigidly and permanently clench the bracket to the stud. Uponrelease of the operating lever, the jaws spring open, whereby the toolmay be displaced laterally until the male projection is inserted intothe opening 16 between the points 8 and 10. The levers are againcompressed as described above, whereupon the points are caused topenetrate the stud and to be clenched to the position shown in FIG. 6.

Of course, various modifications may be made in the apparatus described.For example, instead of crimping the points inwardly toward each other,it is conceivable that the female anvil could be so designed as to causeoutward spreading of the points following penetration of the stud wall.It is apparent also that instead of forming the points at the edge ofthe stamped plate, they may be stamped from a central body portion ofthe plate, if desired. Furthermore, in certain cases, it may bedesirable to provide three or more stamped points arranged around theorientation opening and extending normal to the plate. W'hile generallythese points are equally spaced from the opening, certain minorvariations in spacing distance is permissible, as long as the maximumspacing distance between any two points to be simultaneously crimped isless than the diameter of the concave anvil.

According to another modication, adjustable cam means may be bolted onjaw 32 for contacting jaw 30 to limit the extent of opening of the jawsby the spring. The cam is approximately S/s" in diameter and has a holepositioned off center to eiect adjustment of the open space between thejaws. It is obvious that other changes and modifications may be madewithout deviating from the invention set forth in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Sheet metal bracket means adapted for clinched permanent connectionwith a planar mperforate support sheet of iinite thickness, comprising asheet metal blank having a planar body portion, and

a plurality of spaced groups of spaced identical parallel pointspartially stamped from and extending on one side normal to said bodyportion, said points having a length greater than the thickness of saidimperforate support sheet, the portion of said blank intermediate thepoints of each group being palnar and parallel with said imperforatesupport sheet when said points are positioned in contact With saidsupport, said body portion intermediate said points containing anorientation opening for positioning the pivotally connected jaws of acrimping tool relative to said group of points, whereby when the jaws ofthe crimping tool are compressed on opposite sides of said blank andsaid support member, said points are caused initially to pierce theimperforate support member, and subsequently to be crimped together onthe opposite side of the imperforate support member from said blank.

2. A sheet metal bracket assembly, comprising an imperforate supportsheet of finite thickness;

and a sheet metal blank including a planar body portion in parallelsurface-to-surface contact with said support member, and a plurality ofgroups of spaced parallel identical points partially stamped from andextending on one side of said body portion, said points having a lengthgreater than the thickness of said imperforate support sheet, the pointsof each group being forced through said support sheet and being crimpedtogether on the opposite side of said support sheet from said blank tosecurely fasten said blank to said support sheet, the portion of saidblank adjacent the point of each group being planar and insurface-to-surface contact with an imperforate portion ot the supportsheet, said planar blank portion adjacent each said point groupcontaining an orientation opening for positioning the pivotallyconnected jaws of a crimping tool relative to said groups of points.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,078,827 4/1937 Ashton 227-144 X2,913,952 11/1959 Becker 85-11 X 3,097,821 7/1963 Richards 248-216 ROYD. FRAZIER, Primary Examiner I. F FOSS, Assistant Examiner

